Tag Archives: Mt. Hood

This last trip was a big one for me. This was the first time that I’d been out on the trail for four days. There was a major defeat that led to a big detour. This was also the first trip where I felt that my gear was just what I wanted and my menu was great too.

My last morning on the mountain was calm and unhurried. I fetched water and ate breakfast in camp. I broke down my tent and stowed my gear methodically, making sure that everything was in its place. My body had complaints about the previous day‘s brutality, but I was soothed with the knowledge that I’d be home for a hot shower before dark.

My second morning on the trail began much like the first. I woke to the sound of water, this time Ladd Creek just over the rise. We broke camp and ate by the water for the convenience of a quick refill. I also used the cold water and a bandanna to wipe the trail dirt off my legs and feet, arms and hands, and face and hair. It was a lovely start to what would become a brutal day.

Day two began with breakfast at Ramona Falls: my customary bowl of oatmeal and two cups of hot chocolate. It was cool and calm beside the falls and a great way to start the day. We talked over our route for the day. It was decided that we’d deviate from the Timberline trail and head down the Ramona Falls loop to the PCT, then follow that up to Bald Mountain. This would let us avoid an unpleasant water crossing, so we packed up and started out.

For the past few years, I’ve been wanting to hike the Timberline trail around Mt. Hood. This year my hiking buddy suggested that we do it. I was quick to agree, and so we made plans for a four day trip in late July. We had plenty of time to prep, so I made some minor adjustments to my meal plans and got all of my gear together. Then we set out with the plan of four roughly 10 mile days to loop around the mountain.

I came home today after four long days hiking on Mt. Hood. There was tragedy and triumph on the mountain, but it is going to take a few days before I can process and start posting reports. Expect a series of daily accounts next week!

I’m hiking on Mt. Hood today. As this posts, I should be starting to hike up from Ramona Falls toward Caern Basin. I had intended on posting about my preparations on Wednesday, but I let too many things slide until the last minute. As usual, I should be taking a ton of photos while I am out and I’ll write up a day by day trail report when I get back. Hopefully you are enjoying a beautiful weekend too!